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1955 Map of Lewis Ranch

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Lewis Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Agricultural water management and ranching operations dominate this mid-century landscape along the border of Otero and Bent counties. The vast Horse Creek Reservoir (Timber Lake) serves as a central hub for a complex irrigation network designed to sustain the High Plains ranching economy. This infrastructure is evidenced by the massive Fort Lyon Storage Canal, numerous levee structures, and a network of watercourses including the Lewis Lateral and the Horse Creek Res Inlet Ditch.

Remote family outposts such as Lewis Ranch and Inge Ranch indicate the sparse, large-acreage settlement patterns of the era. The presence of an Abandoned Canal and several windmills underscores the constant adaptation required to manage water in this semi-arid environment, while the natural course of Horse Creek and a perennial Spring provide the primary hydrologic foundation for the surrounding territory.